In this space, WestBow Press publishes articles written by our authors in which they share some aspect of their self-publishing journey. The following blog is from Codi Gandee, author of “#Winning: Wisdom for God’s Warriors” and “Selfless in a Selfie World: Before Honor is Humility” For more information on the author visit her website, Facebook, and Twitter. To begin your self-publishing journey, get a free WestBow Press publishing guide today.

“For I determined not to know anything among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified. And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling. And my speech and my preaching were not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in a demonstration of the Spirit and of power: That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.” I Corinthians 2:2-5 KJV

Guided by God’s Strength

The joy that I felt at the beginning of my writing process quickly evolved into a burden. Each day I struggled to find time to give to prayer, study, and writing. My eagerness, commitment and desire to follow through with the vision in my heart began to falter. Truly I was a weakened vessel, doubting at times if the labor the Lord had given me would ever come to pass.

But on the days that I allowed God’s strength to guide me, I was completely overwhelmed by His presence. Some days all I could do was pray. Other days I would squeak out only one paragraph. Countless hours were spent meditating on what the Lord was wanting me to write. However, every time I followed through by either just being still enough to listen or to sit down with my Bible and computer the Lord would intervene and provide exactly what was needed at the time.

Published with God’s Help

It was at these times that I felt unexplainably grateful that God would use me to be a vessel for Him. The words He was giving me would give glory to Jesus. After two years of battling, I finally submitted #Winning to WestBow Press. I was completely ecstatic that the manuscript was turned in; not because I had hopes of making a bestseller list, but because I could live in peace knowing that I had completed the work that the Lord had given me. I could close out that chapter of my life accepting that I had glorified God simply because I was obedient to His will.

Press On

I have shared this to encourage those that are experiencing struggles within their own writing process. If you are writing because the Lord has laid it on your heart, then I can guarantee that the process won’t be easy. But I can also promise that seeing the finished product will most definitely be worth your perseverance. Remind yourself that even in your weakness God is willing to strengthen you for His glory. You will never regret giving to the world what the Lord has given to you.

WestBow Press authors who’d like to share a 350-600 word experience related to the self-publishing of their books are invited to do so through the Blog Guidelines Page. WestBow Press reserves the right to edit stories for content, grammar, punctuation, and length.

In this space, WestBow Press publishes articles written by our authors in which they share some aspect of their self-publishing journey. The following blog is from Priscilla McDaniel, author of “Raspberry Castle.” For more information on the author visit her website. To begin your self-publishing journey, get a free WestBow Press publishing guide today.

Find the Joy in Writing

If you want to be a writer, aside from perseverance and persistence, you should never write just to make money. Writing should bring you joy. The challenge for me is getting it right, what you want to say does not always go onto paper as easily as you think it should. Make every effort to keep your story interesting, i.e. don’t tell your story show it. Show it in dialogue, action words, and descriptive scenes kept short, sweet and to the point. Don’t overload with adjectives and don’t blather on or people will close your book. Develop your characters –even if your book is about your own life.

Why I Started Writing

I never read books until I was a bride at 21, and we had no television. I never thought or dreamed of writing a book, but the Good Lord had plans otherwise. My inspiration came from Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice story when A & E made it into a movie. My husband enjoyed watching it with me and when it was over, he said, “What happens after that?”

Jane Austen never wrote past the wedding, so I decided I would help her along and make up my own story. My first 20 pages were horrible. I had no experience in writing fiction, but I had done some technical writing, and therefore believed I could tell a story. After much writing and rewriting and rearranging scenes, I eventually learned to show my story in dialogue and character building.

My Writing Tips

One very important thing to remember for those who want to write is to just sit down and do it. Don’t worry about outlines in the beginning simply or with difficulty write your first paragraph on the page. When I began writing there was no internet. I went to the library all the time. Once you start writing, even your first page, then you can do some research. Fiction does not require as much as non-fiction, but it will need some, especially if it is historical fiction. In the beginning, you may want to try an outline for your thoughts but don’t be tied to it. Don’t be surprised if your characters and storyline take on a life of its own. Go with it but don’t be afraid to delete and rewrite.

Be prepared to change things around, rewrite, proof, rewrite, and changes things over and over until you get it right. Your first novel should not be more than a maximum of 100,000 words. If it is more than that, you are saying too much, which is common for beginners.

Join a writers group, preferably a Christian group, and never, never, never let anyone other than a writers group member read your work, even then choose carefully. Family members are the worst, and friends, too, for giving you free advice, wanting to rewrite your story for you or give you unneeded criticism.

Needless to say, it can be very discouraging and even cause you to put your book down for good. Some people may offer to proofread it for you, but instead will rewrite if for you, and if that is the case they probably are not good at catching errors but are busy telling you what you should say differently, a good editor can do that. Read your story over many times, pare it down, make sure it is interesting, well written and has a good storyline.

WestBow Press authors who’d like to share a 350-600 word experience related to the self-publishing of their books are invited to do so through the Blog Guidelines Page. WestBow Press reserves the right to edit stories for content, grammar, punctuation, and length.

In this space, WestBow Press publishes articles written by our authors in which they share some aspect of their self-publishing journey. The following blog is fromLeAnn Petterson, author of “The Me Only I Get to Be.” For more information on the author visit her website and Facebook. To begin your self-publishing journey, get a free WestBow Press publishing guide today.

Choosing WestBow Press

Some have said the greatest two days in our lives are the day we are “born again”, and the day we find out why. As a new author, I would invite anyone “sitting on the fence” to fulfill God’s purpose for you through publishing his word. Your book may be the very tool God chooses to accomplish his purposes.

I chose WestBow Press to publish my book because of their open commitment to works of Christian authors. In addition to WestBow’s affiliation with Thomas Nelson and Zondervan publishers. All believers are given different gifts at the time of their new birth. The motivational gift I received was that of exhortation (Romans 12:6-8). As such, my whole person seeks to give support, reference hope, and promote faith in the Lord Jesus Christ (1 Peter 4:10-11). Thus, writing my book fell into line with the “me” the Maker created me to be. Why am I surprised when God chooses to use my book to implement his further purposes? Yet, I am reverently amazed!

He Who Has Called You is Faithful (I Thessalonians 5:24)

I believe God called me to write my book. His Word promised that he would faithfully achieve his purposes through my obedience. So, I put aside the hesitations and fears, and took my first step toward accomplishing this aspect of his will for my life.

He Will Do It (I Thessalonians 5:24)

The resulting obedience provided me with unimagined platforms from which I’ve been able to represent God. He has opened doors to accomplish all he purposed for my book; I’m cooperative, but he is “doing it.”

How Unsearchable Are His Ways (Romans 11:33)

Children:

Doors of the public schools welcomed me as I read my book to multiple assemblies of Kindergarten through third graders. In their letters of thanks to me, students acknowledged that not everyone is the same, and that it’s okay to be “myself.” I saw this as a good “footing” upon which third graders could construct a Godly identity; identities in the process of being established.

Adults:

Although classified as a children’s book, “The Me Only I Get to Be”, spans across the age continuum. God has used it to affect groups of children and adults, as well as to minister to individuals. Technology made it easy to read the book to a women’s church group. This included an assignment of “Pairing and Sharing” as women read aloud God’s scriptural Word as to the truth of who God claimed they were in Christ Jesus; identities being reclaimed.

I was also blessed to witness the effect my book had upon a young woman whose husband had just given her notice of his leaving the marriage commitment. While reading the book aloud for the first time, she broke into tears…however not for herself. She mentioned her gratitude for all with which God continued to bless her. Her focus shifted from what she had not, to all that God faithfully continued to provide.

Please, Please, move forward into that purpose for which you were created. You may never realize the blessings your obedience will acquire if you don’t take that first step in faith.

WestBow Press authors who’d like to share a 350-600 word experience related to the self-publishing of their books are invited to do so through the Blog Guidelines Page. WestBow Press reserves the right to edit stories for content, grammar, punctuation, and length.